Palmer takes another swipe at CITIC

Palmer takes another swipe at CITIC - The West Australian

Clive Palmer has accused his estranged business partner of trying to drive down Australian living standards and wages.

In a formal statement, two days after his contentious comments on the ABC’s Q&A program, Mr Palmer said he had been an “admirer” of China and its people for a long time.

Mr Palmer has been heavily criticised for his TV comments which included labelling CITIC a group of “Chinese mongrels”.

“I’m saying that because they’re Communist, they shoot their own people, they haven’t got a justice system and they want to take over this country. And we’re not going to let them,” he said.

In his statement, Mr Palmer maintained his comments were not directed at the Chinese community or Chinese Government.

He said he was purely focused on CITIC with which he is engaged in a long standing legal dispute.

According to Mr Palmer, CITIC was ultimately trying to drive down wages for ordinary Australians.

“What is unacceptable is a Chinese state-owned enterprise that abuses the legal system for commercial gain in a global strategic effort to control resources,” he said.

“I cannot support any deterioration of the living standards or the wage systems that any Australian or other person living in this country are entitled to under Australian law.

“We cannot encourage foreign labour within Australian jurisdiction to be paid lesser amounts than what is lawful in this country. If we do so, we are undermining the systems that protect all Australians.”

Earlier, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said China had helped Australia get through the global financial crisis.

“It’s one of the reasons why what Clive Palmer said the other night was so destructive and really it’s very hard to understand why someone would be so simplistic,” he said.